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Nokia N series handsets rumoured to run Maemo Linux by 2012

Mobile giant Nokia plans to replace the Symbian operating system (OS) with the Maemo Linux on all of its high-end N series multimedia devices by 2012, it's claimed.

The official N900 meet-up in London was the setting for the revelation, according to the Really Mobile Project blog. Nokia's video-focused X series and enterprise E series devices will reportedly continue to run Symbian for the moment.

Maemo representatives said the OS transition will happen gradually, with further Symbian-based N series handsets in the pipeline.

In August, Nokia sources admitted to the Financial Times in Germany that they intended to equip many of their smartphones with the mainly open source Maemo OS already used in their internet tablets, describing Symbian as "much too cumbersome to keep up with modern operating systems".

There have also been suggestions that Maemo Select, the community portal for Maemo mobile apps, will eventually be retired to leave Nokia's Ovi store as the offical source for paid and free applications promoted on Symbian and Maemo devices.

Speculation about Nokia's plans follow denials from rival operator Samsung that it also intends to drop Symbian in favour of Windows Mobile, Android and its own open-source alternative, bada.